UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Jan Pronk on Friday called for a larger and stronger force to protect the people of Darfur in the African country.

Briefing the Security Council, Pronk said militias on camel and horseback continue to attack villages, killing dozens and terrorizing others who flee.

He noted that a force necessary to provide security to the people of Darfur should not be on call, but be in place and in all areas where people may be attacked.

"It should be strong, able to defend itself, able to deter attacks on civilians and able to disarm militias," Pronk said, adding that the tribal militias known as Janjaweed should have been disarmed by the government in the first place.

"This has not been done, despite demands laid down in Security Council resolutions," he said.

He said the force should stay long enough for a period of at least three to four years after an agreement to end the conflict in Darfur.

The African Union, which has about 7,000 peacekeepers trying to monitor the cease-fire in Darfur, said it may be forced to hand over its peacekeeping mission in Darfur to the United Nations if international donors fail to provide sufficient money to sustain its operation. Enditem